The Cupertino Union School District (CUSD) coveres the city of Cupertino, California, and parts of San Jose, Sunnyvale, Saratoga, Santa Clara, and Los Altos. The CUSD operates twenty elementary schools (K-5) and six middle schools (6-8). The CUSD has over 720 teachers (full-time equivalents) serving more than 17,000 students. Schools in this district are considered some of the best in the state and this is one of the contributing factors to high housing prices in the Cupertino area.